What If Wallpaper Is Art?
Have you ever thought about wallpaper as art? Not as a backdrop, not as "the thing behind the art," but as the art itself? My friendship with Liz Lidgett, and getting to be part of her book, Art for Everyone, has had me noodling on this more than usual lately. We tend to think about art so one-dimensionally: something you buy, frame, and hang. But my job is to make a home feel unmistakably like the people who live in it, which means I'm always hunting for unconventional ways to sneak personality into a space. Wallpaper is one of my favorite tricks. It lets us pull art right out of the frame and let it take over an entire wall.
So what do we mean by wallpaper art? Think of it as wallpaper that plays the role traditional artwork might play in a room: creating a focal point, adding personality, and setting the mood rather than simply filling an empty wall.
Wallpaper Art Ideas From Our Recent Projects
I've been obsessed with wallpaper for years. It is, hands down, one of the fastest ways to completely shift the mood of a room – cozy, glamorous, moody, playful, you name it. Here are a few of my favorite wallpaper art moments from recent projects.
Oversized Floral Wallpaper as Art in a Feminine Primary Bedroom
Confession: I had this peony wallpaper tucked away for years before it finally found its home. I'm talking years, just sitting there, waiting for the right project to come along and deserve it. The second I saw this Clearwater condo's primary bedroom, I knew. Those oversized blooms practically take up the whole wall, and they do more heavy lifting than any framed piece could: instant softness, instant romance, zero extra effort. Moral of the story: if you love a wallpaper enough, hold onto it. Its moment will come.
photo: Floral Wallpaper - Lisa Gilmore Design
Geometric Wallpaper Shines in a Midcentury Primary Suite
This one started with a daydream about New York City hotel suites and that boutique, tailored-suit feeling they always seem to nail. I wanted this waterfront midcentury primary suite to have that same energy, so we built the room around a bold geometric wallpaper that channels it.
photo: Midcentury Wallpaper - Lisa Gilmore Design
The house has good bones and history we wanted to honor, not erase, but the goal was never to make it feel like a museum. It needed to actually work for the people living there today. That geometric print became the bridge: a little retro, a little unexpected, incredibly alive.
photo: Geometric Wallpaper - Lisa Gilmore Design
Statement Wallpaper Transforms a Coastal Condo Entry
A retired couple bought this condo with one very clear request: give us a Florida retreat that does not look like every other Florida condo. No seashells, no "beachy," thank you very much.
photo: Statement Wallpaper - Lisa Gilmore Design
They wanted to feel like they'd checked into a beautiful boutique hotel every time they walked through their own front door. So that's exactly where we started, right at the entry, with a wallpaper so striking it sets the whole tone before you've even made it to the living room.
photo: Wallpaper Entry - Lisa Gilmore Design
Wallpaper Art on the Ceiling: A Snake Print Surprise
This little second bedroom got a glow-up into a dressing room, and I was not about to let the ceiling be an afterthought.
photo: Ceiling Wallpaper - Lisa Gilmore Design
We papered it in a bold snake print, a choice that has no business working in a room this soft and feminine, and yet, it absolutely does. There's something so fun about looking up and getting a little surprise the rest of the room doesn't warn you about.
photo: Dressing Room Wallpaper - Lisa Gilmore Design
FAQs: Using Wallpaper as Art
1. What is wallpaper art?
Wallpaper art is wallpaper used as a statement-making design element rather than simply as a background. Oversized florals, murals, geometric patterns, and even ceiling wallpaper can function much like artwork in a room.
2. How can I use wallpaper as art?
Think of the wallpaper as the focal point. A bold mural behind a bed, a dramatic pattern in an entry, or an unexpected print on the ceiling can create the same visual impact as a large piece of artwork.
3. Is wallpaper art still in style?
Absolutely. Wallpaper is having a major moment, especially bold patterns, murals, textured designs, and wallpaper used in unexpected places. The key is choosing something that feels personal rather than simply following a trend.
4. Can wallpaper really replace artwork on a wall?
Definitely. A large-scale mural or bold pattern can create the same focal-point effect as a statement piece of art. The trick is to treat the wallpaper intentionally, considering scale, color, and what you want the eye to notice first.
So here's the thing about wallpaper art: it's not really about the wallpaper. It's about giving yourself permission to be a little bolder than you thought you were allowed to be. A peony wall, a geometric ceiling, a snake print where you least expect it. None of it is “safe,” and that's exactly the point. If there's a pattern you keep circling back to, take that as your sign.
Ready to bring your own vision to life? Fill out our design inquiry form and we’ll be in touch to talk through the details. Want more of this kind of thing: behind-the-scenes project peeks, wallpaper obsessions, everyday liveable glamour? Come hang out with me on Instagram or sign up for our newsletter.